On April 23, 2026, the High Authority for Communication (HAC), Guinea’s media regulatory body, suspended the TV show Guinea Today, aired on Télé 24, and two of its three hosts Aboubacar Diallo and Bah Sékou, for three months.
The decision followed a broadcast in which the programme discussed allegations against a legislative candidate in Kollé municipality, Baldé Ibrahima Sory. The claims, contained in a handwritten note circulating for weeks, accused the candidate of livestock theft and misappropriation of public property. According to local media reports, these allegations had not been officially verified. During the programme, the hosts stated that they had gathered views from residents in the community, which they said contradicted the accusations.
The HAC also cited a prior incident on April 21, 2026, when the same programme aired content it deemed to constitute electoral propaganda in favour of another candidate. Télé 24 had received a warning, apologised, and pledged compliance. The regulator therefore treated the April 23 broadcast as a repeat offence and imposed immediate sanctions.
However, during the broadcast in question, main host Aboubacar Diallo clarified that the discussion was intended to examine allegations surrounding the candidate, not to promote him. This, according to observers, indicates an attempt to frame the discussion within a journalistic context rather than as campaign advocacy.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) considers the sanction disproportionate and calls on the HAC to review its decision. It urges the regulator to take into account the context of the broadcast and to apply sanctions in a manner that is measured, proportionate, and consistent with press freedom standards.
